Extraction apparatus



Oct. Z4, 1961 R. A. sANDLER EXTRACTION APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SURE W l SCPE W .5 Z/

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

fraz/Alfy Oct. 24, 1961 R. A. sANDLER ExTRAcTIoN APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1958 Oct. 24, 1961 R. A. sANDLER ExTRAcTIoN APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 1, 1958 Mu .WW

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203527 swmfe Oct. 24, 1961 R. A. sANDLER 3,005,398

EXTRACTION APPARATUS Filed Dec'. l, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iw UAV/Ima INVENTOR.

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. 3,005,398 EXTRAC'IION APPARATUS Robert A. Sandler, Colonia, NJ., yassigiorto'Contnental Copper & Steel Industries, Inc., Perth Amboy, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 1, 1953,*Ser. No. 777,370

7 Claims. (Cl. 99-289) The present invention relates to an extraction apparatus and it particularly relates tov a continuous extraction apparatus which may be utilized in connection with the extraction of solubles from granular, pulverulent, powdered, o r other nely divided materials. i

It is among the objects of the present invention toprovide a continuous, substantially automatic apparatus of the character described, which will continuously and practically automatically remove solubles from finely divided or subdivided materials to produce a liquid extract, whether it be of aqueous, alcoholic or -organic solvents, with substantially complete recovery of .the .soluble material.

Another .object is to provide a. continuous extraction apparatus in which the nely dividedorsubdivided material to be extracted is passed iny contactwith the extracting liquid, whether -it be aqueous, alcoholic :Gr.organic, at a predetermined rate .and `at such `temperatures Vand under such contact conditions as to assure a relatively high :yield ofthe solubles, with continuous discharge-of the extracted material `and removal of the liquid extract. p v

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forthbelow, it being understood, however, Vthat this -more detailed description yis given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may .be made by .those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit .of the present invention.

In accomplishment of the above .objects there are provided a plurality of stages in Awhich the materiall to Vbe extracted is rst fed 4into ,a main extracting stage, and is then passed coun-tercurrentto an extracting liquider Vilaid, followed by passageinto adischargc stage,while ,thediquid extract is removed from the beginning of the extraction stage and fresh -liquid is fed `in--to contact the substantialiycompletely processed material. i A

In one .form of the invention, therefis a `vertical .column containing an elongated screw through whiclrthe material beingjextracted vand .the liquid are passed in countercurrent fashion. v i

The tubular conveyor containing the -screwwill normally be jacketed so asto .maintain desirable temperatures .within the various stages of the .extraction procedure, with the extracting. .liquid -or fluid being introduced at the bottom of the column and removed :at'at-he top of the column. l A

The tube orshaftwhich carries-the screw conveyor is also desirably provided with concentric vconnections so that a temperature control -uid maybe passed. through said shaft and removed therefrom. Y

The ends of the column are desirably so jacketed and provided with such stuifing box arrangementgpossibly of th'e chevron type, as to Vprevent escape of either the solid material `being extractedfor'fthe'liquidextract.

The inlet connection for the-.solid to beextracted and the outlet for the solids after extraction may extend at right angles from theeends .of lthe Ymain `extraction and also contain screw conveyor means. v

In the :inlet lconnection the screw conveyor is caused to vdecrease in `diameter and also Yin .pitchadjacent its discharge into the main extraction column so that the compression lof solids, together with the taperyinthe tube, 7

will compress thesolids beingvfed into the main-extraction column and prevent any of, thek extracting fluid from Patented .Oct 24., .1961

"tice A2 owing reversely through the feeder and escaping inlthis manner. i

The compression of the iinely divided solids is so regulated as to form a seal.

The discharge connection on the other hand whieh picks up the substantially completely extracted solids .will have an intermediate compression area which will have the eifect of squeezing any extracting liquid or liuidfou't of the iinely divided material and collecting Athe same before such deliquied or dewatered solids are /nally :discharged to waste or for other processing. A

The main extracting screws may be provided with-suitable Wipers to keep the screws land columns clean and the various heating or cooling jacketsmay .be .so cornpartmented as to enablean accurate control of the heating vor cooling effect.

It desired, the. liquid extract may be recirculated or combined with fresh extracting .liquid andthe various screws or spiral element, including the .main extraction screw, the feeder screw and the discharge screw, may all be arranged so that they will yoperate in a desired -sequence .and in synchronism to produce themaximum result. i ,V

With the foregoing and other -objectsin view, the linvention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of ,parts as vhereinafter more specically described, and illustrated in the. accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an Iembodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within thescope of :the claims hereunto appended. v

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts vthroughout the-several views: f

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic lay-out of one embodiment of the present invention, showing the flow ofthe solid materials being extracted, as well-astheextracting` liquid.

FIG. 2 is a side diagrammatic elevational view ofthe complete apparatus, with Ythe upper transverse feeder, the main vertical extraction'colummand withthe .loWertr-ansverse discharge conveyor, and with Lthe various liquid -and solid connections being shown schematically.

FIG. 3 isa transverse vertical sectional view ofthe feeder, as shown in FIG. 2, but uponianzenlarged scale as compared to FIG. 2.

f vFIG. 4 is .a transverse sectional viewV of the discharge member, upon an enlarged-.scale ascomparedl to FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 isa transverse-vertical sectional-viewof the main vertical extraction column, upon an enlarged-scale as compared to FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is aitransverse-vertioal sectional viewtaken upon the -linend-d of FIG. V4, upon an enlarged scale ascompared to FIG. 4 and showing the* mannerfof removing the residual liquid from the exhausted solids.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detailed vsectional viewfshowing the manner in which the openings lin -the-wal1.of' the tubular discharge section of FIG'. `6 Ahave been closed.

FIG. 8 isa transverse sectional view, showing the `end closure covers for the jacketed extractor.

Referring to FIG. 1, ,there is shown a mainvertical -extraction column A, having a -feeder B and adischarge C. Ihe liquid flow is Vindicated in D, while 'the solid owwis indicated atY E. This apparatus is shown in large scale in FIG. 2 and it will be noted that there .are-also provided upper and lower jackets G and K for the main extraction column which can be increased in number to regulate the temperature during passage therethrough, and there is plate 13 provided by the bolted connections 14 to the end flange 15.

The screw shaft 16 will extend through the opening 17 in the plate 13 and be provided with a seal at 18.

The shaft 16 may be solid or it may contain a concentric piping arrangement if it is desired to either heat or cool the incoming solids. The main portion of the spiral screw, as indicated at 19, will advance the solids in the ,direction 20 and it will have a closely pitched portion at 21 which will gradually compress such solids as they are advanced.

Before entrance into the top of the main column A, there will be provided a tapered tube section 22 which will have the convergent inlet portion 23 and the divergent portion 24 and the ilanges 25 and 26.

' The blade 27 of the screw will decrease in diameter up to the narrowest dimension indicated at 28 of the tapered tube section 22.

` The flanges 25 and 26 are connected by the bolts 29 Vand 30 to the flanges 31 and 32 respectively of the tube 12 and of the inlet section 33, `leading to the main extractor column. The compression which takes place in the section 23 of the tapered tube 22 results in a compression of the solids, which, together with the taper, forms a seal whichwill prevent any movement of liquid or gas in a direction reversely to the movement of the solids in the direction 20.

Referring to the discharge tube shown in FIG. 4, the end 45 of the screw 46 will terminate, as indicated also in FIG. 5, substantially at the internal wall at the lower end 47 of the main extraction tube so as to pick up any solids directly at this point. This differs from the upper screw 19, which terminates substantially at 28 at the narrowest portion of the tapered tube 22.

The lirst section 48 will be joined directly to the lower portion 47 of the main column A and it will be connected bythe end flange 49 and the bolts 50 to the end flange 51 of the next section 52.

In the beginning of the section 52, the blade 53 of the screwv will have a much closer pitch or spacing, so as to compress the weight of the extracted solids and force liquid therefrom, which will pass into the jacket S4, having the outlet connection 55 with the ange 56.

The construction of the jacket is best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and it will be noted that there is a semi-cylindrical jacket 54 welded or otherwise connected to the sidewall 55 of the tube 52 at 56.

In the lower portion of the tube 52 covered by the jacket 54 will be a plurality of openings 57, each of which will be closed by the inverted cup-shaped screen 58 to keep the solids within the tube 52, while permitting the liquid to escape.

Again referring to FIG. 4, when the jacket of section 54 is passed, the screw blade 57 will again become more widely spaced and it will advance the extracted solids, which have been deliquied or dewatered, as indicated by the arrow, to the discharge tube 59, which has an end flange 60 for connection to another conduit.

The end portion 61 of the tubular shell 52 has a utility connection 62, which may be used for flushing or other purposes. The end of the tube 61 is provided with a flange 63, which has a bolted connection at 64 to an end closure plate 65, through which the shaft 66 projects.

Referring to themain vertical extraction tubular member, as shown in FIG. in large scale and in FIG. 2 in small scale, there is provided a main heavy cylindrical jacket 80, which encloses the main screw 81 moving the solids slowly downwardly.

This screw has a shaft 82. The extracting liquid is fed into the lower part 47 of the column 80 at the inlet connection 83, having the ange 84. I

The extracting liquid, after it has completed the extraction, 'is removed by the upper transverse connection 85, having the connection ange 86. The upper and lower ends of the column A are provided with the flange connections 87 and 88 on which may be mounted the end covers 89, as shown in FIG. 8.

These end covers may have a connecting ange 90 with a stutng box 91 having the shaft seal 92 and with a pedestal 94 to carry a bearing structure indicated at 95 and 96 in FIG. 2. The stuffing 92 is sealed in position by the compression members 97. (See FIG. 2.)

The upper portion of the screw is desirably provided with the wipers or blades 98 of a synthetic resistant plastic material, such as polyethylene, polyuorocarbon (also known as Teon) In the form of the invention shown, the upper jacket F has an inlet connection at for heating or cooling iluid and an outlet connection at 111 for removal of such iluid.

The upper jacket section F is separated from the other sections G and K by the partition 112. (See FIG. 5.)

The intermediate jacket section G has a heating liquid inlet at 113 at its lower portion and a heating liquid outlet at its upper portion, as indicated at 114, with intermediate temperature measuring taps 11'5 and 116.

'Ihis jacket section G is separated from the jacket section K by means of the partition 117.

The lower jacket section K (see FIG. 5) has a steam inlet connection 118 at its lower portion and a steam outlet connection 119 at its upper portion, with intermediate temperature measuring connections or taps 120 and 121. The series of jackets F, G and K are closed at their ends by the partition 122.

The central shaft 82 is hollow and it has an inlet extending axially therefrom, as indicated at 124, which will permit steam to be forced in, up to the upper portion thereof, as indicated at 125, with condensate or exhausted steam being removed through the outer chamber, as indi-,- cated at 126.

This type of temperature control is most suitable for extracting nely divided or ground coffee, which is first kept cool in the jacketed portion F, where the partly separated liquid, such as water, ilowed upwardly, then is heated with hot water in the packet section G and when nearly exhausted is subjected to steam heat with the fresh incoming liquid in the jacket K.

The shaft 82, if steam is rfed in through the lower central tube 124, will aid in maintaining this temperature, since it will primarily give up its heat in the jacket sections K and G and it will not affect the cooling action of the upper jacket F.

During this entire period the liquid will flow upwardly, as indicated at 127, and the solids will be forced down* wardly, as indicated at 128, by the action of the blade 81 of the screw.

Referring to FIG. 2, the motor I will drive a gear reduction box 140, which will drive the hollow shaft 82 through the connection y141. The frame structure 142 and 143 will support the junction connection 141.

The lower end of the shaft will carry a screw gear worm combination 145, which in turn will drive the horizontal shaft 146. The column A itself will be supported by the transverse members 147, 148 and 149, extending between uprights 142 and 143, which extend down to the oor at 150 and 151.

The horizontal shaft 146 has a bearing at 152 on the gaicket 153 connected to the vertical structural member This shaft Will drive a sprocket 155 connected by the chain 156 to a sprocket 157.

The sprocket 157 will drive the shaft 66, which also carries the sprocket 158 with the chain 159.

The chain 159 will extend up Vto and drive the sprocket 160, which will dn've the shaft 16.

The shaft 16 and the shaft 66 may have bearings or supports at their ends in the vertical member 154.

The vertical member 154 will have a transverse structural member 161 upon which `are supported the refrigerated tanks 162 and 163 containing 4the coils 164.

The liquid extract removed at 8S may flow through the piping 165, through the pump 166, and then through the piping 167 into the extract cooler 168, receiving a coolant at 169.

The cooled extract then may ow through the connections 170 and 171 at the Valves 172 and 173 and .the by-passes 174 into the tanks 162 and 163. These tanks may have lower discharge connections, as indicated at 175 and 176.

'I'he temperature or pressure gauges 177 and 178 may be associated with valves 17 9 and 180 to control the ilow of steam in the lower jacket K or hot water through the upper jacket G.

'Ihe pump H will force the incoming extraction liquid 181 into the conduit 182 and into the lower part of the column A. With this incoming liquid may be mixed the recovered liquid 183 recovered by the jacket 54.

In the preferred form of the present invention, nely ground coffee is fed in through the feeder B, passed down through the extractor A and then removed through the discharge C.

The upper jacket F will have cold water, the intermediate jack G will have hot water, and the lower jacket K will have steam, and the rate of ydescent of the coifee grounds in the column A is such that there will be a continuous regulated extraction of coffee from the downwardly moving iinely divided coffee material. The discharged solids will be substantially devoid of all soluble coffee extract.

This same apparatus may be used for extraction of finely divided solids or even frozen comminuted material, such as sh liver, to remove desired materials therefrom with aqueous, alcoholic or organic solvent materials or combinations thereof, with the temperature ranges of the jackets LF, G and K ranging within limits to effect the most desirable extraction and separation.

It is possible to obtain various types of extraction from nely divided wood products, lsuch as sawdust; from absorbent materials, such as silica gel; and from various types of pulps, fibrous materials, or other granulated or divided substantials, from which it is desired to remove Water or organic soluble materials, either for recovery of such materials or so that there will not be impurities in the solvents when discharged.

The apparatus may be operated continuously without constant manual supervision and the apparatus will continue to function on a twenty-four hour basis, with a predetermined rate of feed and recovery and with entirely automatic controls.

With coffee recovery there is a 90% to 95% yield of the coffee flavor essence without any deterioration of the coffee flavor and with an extremely high grade product being produced.

It will be noted that the main extraction screw Ias well as the feed and discharge screws, are all operated in synchronism and in predetermined relationship by the shaft and sprocket arrangement, as shown in FIG. 2.

The present invention has a special valve for extraction of water solubles or organic solvent solubles from grains, seeds or nuts, or from the hulls or bran thereof or from the germs or oil containing portions thereof.

It may be used for extraction of oil from axseed, from wheat germ, from corn germ and from other oil containing materials.

It also may be used for removal of oil soluble or water soluble inorganic or organic waste products, such as are encountered in industrial processes and which might Votherwise be wasted.

As many changes could be made in the above extraction apparatus, and many widely diiferen-t embodiments of this invention could be made without departure from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter combined in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

l. rAn extraction system for nely divided solid materials comprising a main extraction column and feeder and discharge columns connected to the ends thereof, said columns each having feed screws to feed the .solid materials and means to feed the extracting liquid countercurrently to the solid materials in the main extraction column, said main `column being vertical and said feeder and discharge columns being horizontal and said last two columns being provided with screws and said horizontal columns having casings closely embracing the screws and said lscrews having more widely spaced screw portions away from the main column and more closely spaced compression screw portions adjacent the main column to prevent passage of liquid into the feeder column and remove liquid from the solid materials in the discharge column respectively and said discharge column having a jacket at the lower side thereof to receive liquid removed from the discharge column -by said more closely spaced screw compression screw portions.

2. An extraction system for nely divided solid materials comprising a main extraction column and feeder and discharge columns connected to the ends thereof, said columns each having feed screws to feed `the solid materials and means to vfeed the extracting liquid countercurrently to the solid materials in the main extraction column, said main column being positioned vertically and said feeder and discharge columns extending respectively transversely into lthe upper and lower ends thereof, said feeder column having an internal rotatable screw and an outside casing closely embracing the periphery of the screw Iand said outside casing having a conical portion adjacent its junction with the main column to act to prevent reverse flow `of liquid and said discharge column having a plurality of openings on the lower side thereof provided with screen protector-s and a jacket enclosing said openings to receive liquid therefrom.

3. An extraction system for nely divided solid materials comprising a main extraction column and feeder and discharge columns connected to the ends thereof, said columns each having -feed screws to feed the solid materials and means to feed the extracting liquid countercurrently to the solid materials in the main extraction column, said feeder and 'discharge columns being provided with screws having more closely spaced portions to create compression in the solids passing therethrough, intermediate of the feeder land discharge columns, said feeder column having an internal rotatable screw and an outside casing closely embracing the periphery of the screw and said outside casing having a conical portion adjacent its junction with the main column to Iact to prevent reverse flow of liquid and said discharge column having a plurality of openings on the Ilower side thereof provided with screen protectors and a jacket enclosing said openings to receive liquid therefrom.

4. An extraction system for finely divided solid materials comprising a main extraction column and feeder and disch-arge columns connected to the ends thereof, said columns each having feed screws to feed the solid materials and means to feed the extracting liquid countercurrently to the solid materials in the main extraction column, said main column being provided with a plurality of jackets to give diiferent temperature ranges as the solid material passes through the main column, said main column being vertical and said feeder and discharge columns being horizontal and said last two columns being provided with screws and said horizontal columns having casings closely embracing thescrews and said screws having more widely spaced screw portions away from the main column and more closely spaced compression screw portions adjacent the main column to prevent passage of liquid into the feeder column and remove liquid from the solid materials in the discharge column respectively and said discharge column having a jacket at the lower side thereof to receive liquid removed vfrom the discharge column by said more closely spaced screw compression screw portions.

5. A method of extracting finely divided coiee with water which comprises passing the coffee slowly under pressure in 'a vertical column while water is passed upwardly therethrough, decreasing the temperature of the water as it moves upwardly through the column, feeding fresh ground coffee into the upper end of the column, compressing the coifee at the upper end of the column to seal the upper end of the column and removing the coiee which has been subject to extraction from the lower end of the column and compressing it to remove Iany residual liquid therein `and returning said residual liquid to the extraction column.

6. A coifee extractor comprising a helical blade hori- `zontal upper inlet conveyor for fresh iinely divided coffee, -a reverse flow coffee-down water-up spiral blade `vertical screw conveyor to receive coiee at its upper end -from the outlet end of the i-nlet screw conveyor, a

horizontal outlet spiral blade 'lower screw conveyor for 'exhausted coffee Ito receive said exhausted coffee from more closely spaced yadjacent the vertical conveyor to aot as a seal and to prevent passage of water through the "horizontal conveyors 4vfrom the upper and lower ends of the vertical conveyor.

7. The extractor of claim 6, said upper screw conveyor having a conical portion adjacent its connection with the upper end of the vertical screw conveyor also to act as a Water seal and said lower screw conveyor having a plurality of openings in the jacket thereof adjacent the bottom thereof to drain oi any water and said openings being provided With screens and with an enclosure jacket to receive `any Water and a conduit means to feed said water back to the lower end oi the vertical screw conveyor and a plurality off separated jackets on the vertical screw conveyor to maintain a predetermined temperature in said vertical screw conveyor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,813,575 Ianecke et al. lubI 7, 1931 2,183,837 Hamilton et al. f Dec. 19, 1939 y 2,381,965 Berry Aug. 14, 1945 2,562,563 McBean July 31, 1951 2,629,663 Fogiel' Feb. 24, 1953 

